Decision details

The Committee considered a report, as requested by the Cabinet at its meeting on 13 July 2017, on the arrangements and process to be applied should Council funding of the current full-time trade union secondees cease. 

The report set out the current arrangements and the Council's statutory responsibilities, together with revised arrangements and implications should funding cease.  The Committee was informed that the recognised trade unions had been consulted and they had asked the Committee to maintain funding to support effective employee relations.  The trade unions had submitted a collective response to any proposal to cease funding and a copy of the submission was presented at Appendix 'A'.

Views were expressed that given the financial difficulties facing the County Council, the authority could no longer continue to fund the trade union secondees.  However, it was acknowledged that in order to meet its statutory obligations, the Council would need to provide reasonable paid time off by releasing workplace representatives/stewards to undertake trade union activity and provide representation at a corporate level which would include the Corporate Joint Negotiation and Consultative Forum and other corporate consultations and negotiations.

The Labour Group asked that its opposition to the ceasation of funding of the trade union secondees be recorded in the Minutes.

Resolved: 

(i)  That the report and representations from the trade unions, as presented, be noted.

(ii)  That the County Council's funding of trade union secondees shall cease on 31 March 2018.